Never-before-seen images of the Jodrell Bank Observatory have been released to the public ahead of the opening of a new £21.5 million visitor attraction.
The First Light Pavilion – which is part of the wider First Light Project, and is all about telling the stories of its pioneering scientists and opening up the inspirational history of the important Cheshire site – will showcase archives and artefacts, together with animations and projections, when it officially opens to the public this Saturday 4 June.
This major addition to the observatory will open up the inspiring history of the site by sharing the stories of its scientists, and its groundbreaking feats of science and engineering, as well as giving visitors the chance to experience a meteor shower, crawl into a black hole, or even see like a snake.
The building itself was an original idea developed by Jodrell Bank professors Teresa Anderson and Tim O’Brien, was designed by the award-winning architect HASSELL Studio, and takes the form of a grass-topped 76m-diameter dome.
It’s said to “cleverly mirror the shape and scale of the landmark Lovell Telescope”.
Ahead of @JodrellBank’s First Light Pavilion opening this weekend, our Exec Director @Isabel_hunt710 has revealed a personal connection.
— National Lottery Heritage Fund (@HeritageFundUK) May 30, 2022
One such charming example is the story of Thomas ‘Barry’ Wade – the father of The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Executive Director, Isabel Hunt – who, having lived through WWII and then completed his National Service, put his civil engineering degree from Sheffield University to use at his first civilian job as a trainee engineer at Jodrell Bank from 1951-1952.
During his time on the site, Barry and his colleagues worked on prototype versions of the famous Lovell Telescope.
Unseen images of the Jodrell Bank Observatory have been released to the public / Credit: Isabel Hunt
The unseen images, which have now been released, have been passed down from his working days and not only show Barry and his colleagues’ engineering skills, but also give an insight into what the Jodrell Bank site looked like at the time.
Speaking on the release of the unseen images, Isabel Hunt said: “When I joined The National Lottery Heritage Fund, I was really looking forward to making a difference for the UK’s heritage, but it was even more exciting to find out that one of our major investments at Jodrell Bank was intertwined with my very own family heritage.
“My father spoke very fondly of his time at Jodrell Bank.
“Along with all the other fascinating history being shared as part of the First Light Project, I am sure these stories will inspire the next generation of engineers.”
The images have been released ahead of the opening of a new £21.5 million visitor attraction / Credit: Isabel HuntThe pictures tell the story of Thomas ‘Barry’ Wade, who worked as a trainee engineer at Jodrell Bank from 1951-1952 / Credit: Isabel Hunt
Speaking ahead of the opening of the First Light Pavilion this weekend, Professor Anderson – Director at the Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement – said: “After years of planning, we are thrilled to finally be able to announce the opening of First Light – a moment [that] will mark a whole new chapter for Jodrell Bank.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming our first visitors through the doors and in to this beautiful new space.”
The project has been made possible with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund awarded £12.5 million to the project “so that the site’s powerful human stories of curiosity, exploration, and discovery could be shared with the public”, according to chief executive Eilish McGuinness.
She added: “Jodrell Bank is truly a unique heritage site, of national and international importance, with an inspirational story of Britain’s role as a leader in the science of the exploration of the universe.”
You can find out more about the First Light Pavilion here.
Featured Image – Isabel Hunt
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The UK has a new cheapest supermarket for the first time in nearly two years
Emily Sergeant
Aldi has officially been dethroned, as the UK has a new cheapest supermarket for the first time in nearly two years.
We know that two years doesn’t sound like that long of a timeframe, but when you consider the fact that consumer choice company Which? names the UK’s cheapest supermarket every month based on its latest data, you begin to realise that it’s a slightly more impressive feat than it initially sounds.
For the past 21 months, Aldi has reigned supreme in the Which? rankings – claiming the title of the UK’s cheapest on a consecutive basis.
As it does every month, Which? checked the prices of 76 popular branded and own-brand groceries at eight of the UK’s biggest supermarkets throughout July to see how they compared, with items including things like Hovis sliced bread, milk, and cheese.
For each supermarket, the company works out the average price of each item across the month, then adds those up to get each one’s average total price.
The average price for a shop of all the 76 items in July would’ve set Lidl shoppers back £128.40, compared to £129.25 at Aldi.
Lidl has been named the UK’s cheapest supermarket / Credit: Lidl GB
The next cheapest after Lidl and Aldi was Asda, which doesn’t offer loyalty prices in the same way its competitors, but even then, the price was 9% more than at Lidl for our shopping list.
Meanwhile, the latest data found that shopping at Tesco without a loyalty card was still cheaper than shopping at Morrisons with one.
Sainsbury’s was running Nectar price promotions on 15 items on our list, while Tesco had Clubcard prices on 16, Lidl had three items with a loyalty discount, and Morrisons had More Card scheme discounts on only two items in the basket.
Aldi has been dethroned for the first time since October 2023 / Credit: Aldi UK
On the other end of the spectrum, as you might expect, was Waitrose – with the price for the 76 items here setting shoppers back £170.91 in total, which is more than £42, or 33%, more than Lidl.
Waitrose also offers some loyalty prices to members, but there were none for items on the Which? shopping list this month.
When it comes to annual grocery price inflation, this figure was found to have jumped to 5.2% in the four weeks leading up to 13 July, according to market analysis from Worldpanel by Numerator, which is the highest level since January 2024.
Prices are rising faster for items such as chocolate, butters and spreads, and fresh meat, and they are falling fastest for dog food, sugar, confectionery, and laundry.
Featured Image – Aldi
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Viral Manchester beauty brand P. Louise to open first ever flagship store in Trafford Palazzo
Thomas Melia
Beauty brand and viral cosmetics giant P. Louise has announced her first ever flagship store, and it’s opening at Trafford Palazzo.
Droylsden-born beauty guru, turned makeup mogul, P. Louise, is opening her first ever flagship store in Manchester in one of the region’s biggest shopping centres.
Titled P. Louise City, the pastel pink viral cosmetics company is launching its very-first physical site in Trafford Palazzo.
The beauty brand has become a social media sensation, as well as a Greater Manchester hotspot thanks to its P. Louise Empire headquarters located in Stockport.
This pink-furnished warehouse site offers customers an immersive experience with makeover sessions, shopping DIY activities, a cafe, and lots of photo opportunities.
The upcoming P. Louise City is set to build off this success with a 19,000 sq ft store that houses a variety of distinctive zones with iconic names.
You’ll be able to quench your thirst at the ‘Bad B*tch Juice Bar’, find all the latest pink-hued goodies at ‘Juicy News’, and pick up all your essentials at the ‘P. Louise Supermarket’.
P. Louise may not be a medical company, but her ‘P. Louise Pharmacy’ will cure all your retail therapy needs, and although many of her fans already knew her products were liquid gold, the ‘P. Louise Vault’ definitely confirms this.
As well as lots of shopping areas throughout this massive Trafford Palazzo site, there will be lots of hands-on activities – including makeup education zones, and even a dancefloor to bust a move or two.
P. Louise is set to open its first ever flagship store titled P. Louise City in Trafford Palazzo / Credit: Supplied
In an Instagram post on her personal social media account she calls this physical store ‘a dream come true’, adding: “[It’s] truly a pinch me moment – here’s to my next chapter”.
Emily Sergeant -
3rd June 2022 
